Savings-bank



' 2 Sheets"Sheet 1' W. H. ELLIS. SAVINGS BANK.

(No Model.)

No. 458,047. Patented Aug. 15, 1 891 (N0 Mndel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. H. ELLIS. SAVINGSBANK.

No.458,047 P atentedAu g. 18,1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AKING H. ELLIS, OF DETROI", MICHIGAN.

SAVINGS-BAN K.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 458,047, dated August 18, 1891.

Application filed December 31, 1890. Serial No. 376,364. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, 'WARING I'I.'ELLIS, of Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Small Savings-Banks and Method of Using the Same, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a small savings-bank which possesses peculiar characteristics that render it useful and desirable as a home savings-bank.

To accomplish this object my invention involves the features of construction and the combination or arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective of a small bank.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation with the swinging door removed, and Fig. 3 is a perspective of one of the money-receptacles.

The bank is intended for use in that scheme devised by myself of issuing a number of small banks to people who desire to become depositors in any organized bank.

A represents the bank as a whole, which, as shown, is made in the form of a home, being made for the use of the home savings-bank, and is provided on one side with a hinged door A, having hinges I, and a lock eitherin the door or padlock, as may be desired.

B B represent slots adapted to receive a coin through the side of the bank, under each of which is a space I) to receive a card bearing either the number or name of the depositor.

For the purpose of keeping the deposits separate and at the same time facilitating the Work of the collector, I put inside of the bank one or more coin receptacles or boxes, (two are shown in the drawings, marked (3,) which are preferably of tin'or other sheet metal, having the side farthest from the slot B (represented by D) somewhat higher than the side which comes under the slot; and H represents a lug on the inner side of the bank under the slot B, at a proper height to hold the box 0 in position when slid into the bank.

The coin receptacle or box 0 is divided into two compartments by the vertical partition E, so that there is a separate compartment for each slot B.

For the purpose of preventing the deposits from becoming mixed I provide each compartment of box 0 with an inclined ledge G on each end of the compartment, which supports an inclined top F, whose upper edge is bent over the side of the box 0, and which approaches so near the side D as to just leave room for the largest coin to pass between top F and side D, whereby it the bank is tipped or shaken the coin contained in said compartments are prevented from readily falling out and becoming mixed. Then the box 0 is slid into the bank, the bent edge of the inclined top F is held between the front of the box and the side of the bank, whereby the top F is re tained in position. In this way, by using two of said boxes 0 and having slots B on opposite sides of the bank, a single bank may be made to accommodate four or more depositors. Then the collector from the bankinghouse comes at stated intervals, he unlocks the door A, draws out box 0, opens one compartment thereof by sliding off the top F, counts the money therein, and credits the amount thereof on the book corresponding to the name or number on the card at b, and when he has properly counted and credited all the deposits in the bank he replaces the boxes 0 and locks the door A, when the bank is ready for further use. This scheme enables people with small savings, and who cannot spare the time togo to an organized bank, to make their deposits Without loss of time and encourages such savings.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v 1. A smallsavings-bank having an opening and closing door, a series of coin-receiving slots, and a movable coin-receptacle inclosed wholly within the bank and having a vertical partition dividing it into a series of coin-compartments communicating, respectively, with the coin-slots and prevented from removal until the door of the bank is opened, substantially as described.

2. A small savings-bank having an opening and closing door, a series of coin-receiving slots, and a movable coin-receptacle having a vertical partition dividing it into a series of coin-compartments communicatin respecta a v n I ively, with the coin-receiving slots and each containing an inclined top terminating in proximity to its rear wall, substantially as described.

A small savings-bank having an opening and closing door, a series of coin-reeeiving slots, and a movable coin-receptacle having a vertical partition dividing it into a series of coin-compartments, each containing an inclined top provided with a bent upper edge IO held between tlie'sides of the bank and the coin-receptacle, substantially as described.

4:. A small savings-bank having an opening and closing door, a coin-receiving slot, a movable coin-receptaele having its rear wall rising above its front wall and containing an inclined top provided with a bent upper edge engaged with the front Wall of the c0in-receptacle, substantially as described.

\VARING H. ELLIS.

Witnesses:

CHARLES B. Lo'rHRoP, HENRY B. LoTHRoP. 

